


Heart of the Wolf

by LizAnn_5869



Series: Heart of the Wolf [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Bad Wolf Rose Tyler, Bonding, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Not Canon Compliant, Rose and the Doctor get their Forever, Rose regenerates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:49:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24708610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizAnn_5869/pseuds/LizAnn_5869
Summary: The Doctor takes Rose to a ball where unexpected danger changes their timelines forever.
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Series: Heart of the Wolf [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1966015
Comments: 72
Kudos: 141





	1. Chapter One: The Ring

**Author's Note:**

> This is from prompt I read on Doctorroseprompts ages ago: Setting: the TARDIS. Dialogue: you look stunning. Object: a poisoned ring. (In the second chapter, Rose’s life will be in danger, but I promise that there will be a happy ending for our lovebirds.)

  
The Doctor paced orbits around the console, adjusting his bow tie. While the tux made him look quite suave, (in his opinion) he was already debating the merits of this particular tuxedo. It made him feel a bit…  _ nervous _ , which was ridiculous, since it was just a suit, not a harbinger of doom. Still, he wondered if he should change it, but Rose was due any second and he wouldn’t have enough time. Sighing, he stopped at the monitor and checked his hair. It was as spiky on the third trip around as it was on the first. He barely withstood the temptation to pull his fingers through it. That would undo loads of time and effort spent to make it look just right.

At any rate, he resolved to never make a bow tie a permanent part of his wardrobe in any future regeneration. They were bloody annoying.   
  
The Doctor didn’t think she’d ever come out of her room, but he finally heard the tapping of heels in the corridor behind him. He whirled around to see Rose approaching. “She warned, “Now don’t laugh. It’s a bit much.”   
  
He was speechless. Utterly gobsmacked. Rose was gorgeous. Radiant. Exquisite. He should have been composing sonnets to her beauty, should have been on his knee before her, telling her just how her beauty and light and love had saved and changed this old Time Lord forever. There were many other words that should have been coming out of his mouth instead of running through his mind. “You look stunning,” he finally managed.   
  
And she was. She wore a midnight blue strapless ball gown, sparkling with a galaxy of tiny silver sparkles. It had a full skirt that she made stand out as she spun, delighted. “You think?” Rose asked, shyly glancing at the Doctor. “Not too Disney Princess?”   
  
“I always think you’re stunning,” he blurted, his ears turning a bit red at the thought of what he had just admitted. “Erm...the ball is about to start, so we’d best go. Allons-y and all.” He offered her his arm. She smiled, linking arms with him. “Disney Princess is good,” he muttered, mentally cringing at his lack of eloquence.  _ Well, at least I didn’t tell her she looked beautiful for a human. I’ll never live that one down _ . 

Rose didn’t seem to mind his awkwardness, however, and he felt her lean her head against his shoulder. 

_ We don’t have to go,  _ he imagined himself telling her.  _ I’ll put some music on, and we’ll dance right here. Any kind of dancing you want... _

Before he could speak, the moment was broken by a knock at the TARDIS door. “Who could that be?” Rose asked, scrunching her nose endearingly.

_ We’ll just ignore that,  _ he thought.  _ We’re staying in and dancing, remember?  _ Another knock interrupted his musing. 

“I suppose you’d best answer that,” Rose said. “Maybe they sent a carriage pulled by one of those six-legged chartreuse alpaca creatures. Now that’d be an experience!”

“Wouldn’t wanna miss that,” The Doctor mumbled, answering the door, ignoring the voice in his head telling him to just stay there with Rose and finally confess his feelings. The prince’s footman stood there, nervously, clutching a blue velvet bag in his leather gloved hand. “A gift from the Prince. To thank you for all your help,” the footman stammered. “We look forward to your arrival at the ball.”

“Oh! Well, thank you,” the Doctor answered, accepting the gift. The servant bowed awkwardly and exited the TARDIS, the door slamming behind him. The Doctor inspected the bag. “There’s a tag on it. Rose Tyler, for her service to the crown.”

“A gift? For me?” Rose laughed. 

“And none for me. I helped, too,” he said, frowning. “No carriage, either, apparently.”

Rose laughed at his grouchy expression and snatched the bag. She opened it to find a large, ornate silver ring with a gigantic oval opal. It was surrounded by small diamonds. “Oh, this is so not my taste. Too ostentatious. Mum would love it. S’ kinda pretty, how it changes colors.” She considered for half a second, then slid the ring on. “What the ‘ell, this whole bloomin’ dress is too ostentatious. They’ll look great together.” She held out her hand to the Doctor, who wrinkled his nose. “Don’tcha like it?” she asked.

_ I didn’t give it to you,  _ the Doctor thought, remembering a Gallifreyan sapphire ring he had kept in storage for many centuries. He didn’t remember exactly why he’d kept it. Now he wished he’d given it to Rose.  _ I want to be the one giving you a ring.  _ He spoke aloud, “Bit gaudy, s’all. But… erm… it does not detract from your beauty. Anyway...ready to go, Dame Rose?”

“Yes, I am, Sir Doctor,” Rose grinned, linking arms again. 

His mind turned once again to the thought of staying there in the TARDIS and just bloody telling her what he was too cowardly to say. Instead, he resolved to show her a good time, and then maybe afterwards, he would confess his feelings. After all, he nearly lost the chance at the coronation when the Wire claimed Rose.  _ Damn the curse of the Time Lords. I am not wasting time regretting what I could have had. So there we go. The most romantic night of her life, followed by love confessions and snogging. I hope, anyway...Then I could even dig that ring out, if she’s amenable. Anything’s possible. We’ll just wait until later.  _

“Doctor? Lost you for a minute there.”

He jolted out of his reverie. “Do you mind having to leg it,” he asked, “since apparently six legged alpaca carriages aren’t being provided?”

“Castle’s not that far, and these dancin’ shoes are comfy. Might have to have you carry me back to the TARDIS, after all the dancin’ I’m plannin’ on doin’.” She gave him  _ that _ smile, the one where her tongue kissed her upper lip, and his hearts tripped all over themselves. “You’d better be prepared.”

“You can count on me, m’lady.” Impulsively, he leaned in and quickly kissed her forehead, surprising them both. Her beaming smile cemented his resolve to tell her everything he felt for her when they were alone, after showing her the most wonderful night of her life. He never did anything by halves, and this night would rival all others. Tonight, their relationship would change forever, because she had stolen his hearts and he wanted to make her  _ his.  _ He opened the TARDIS door for her and escorted her to the Prince’s ball.

Later on, he would come to regret waiting.

******

The ball was a grand success, with wonderful nibbles and an amazing band. The castle was sumptuously decorated. The Prince gave a heartfelt speech about the Doctor and Rose, thanking them for their heroism. Rose blushed several times, not used to the accolades. Or maybe because the Doctor was gazing at her with a fondness in his eyes that she’d never seen before. It made her breath catch.  _ Maybe,  _ she thought.  _ Maybe it’ll actually happen… or I’m readin’ too much into it. _ Ever since the incident at the coronation he had become a lot clingier, at any rate. She didn’t know if she could let herself hope that anything would come of it.  _ Not that I would turn him down if he did want something more... _

No matter what his motivation was, the Doctor was being so attentive, subtly letting all the eligible bachelors and bachelorettes that Rose’s dance card was full. If Rose looked like a Disney princess, then the Doctor was being her perfect Prince Charming. 

It should have been a wonderful evening.

However, an hour into the dancing, Rose felt her left arm begin to tingle. Fifteen minutes after that she had a wave of dizziness reminiscent of the time she’d got swimmer’s ear at the beach. The feeling faded quickly, so she didn’t mention it to the Doctor. 

The slight (but worsening) nausea during dessert put her off her sweets, but she wrote it off to excitement and butterflies in her stomach. The Doctor was being so romantic, and she didn’t want to ruin it, even if nothing came of it later. She hoped the queasiness would fade as the dizziness had. She didn’t want anything to spoil this night, not when the Doctor smiled at her the way he was as he led her out to the dance floor again.

During the upbeat song, Rose tried to keep up with his endless energy, but by then, dizziness had supplanted the nausea. When Doctor spun Rose out, her skirt twirling beautifully, she stumbled instead of spinning gracefully into his arms. The Doctor found himself catching her. “Rose, are you okay?” he murmured. 

“M’fine. Must have tripped over these heels.”

The Doctor frowned. “You look pale, Rose, are you sure…”

She was about to tell him not to worry, when she broke out into a cold sweat, and suddenly she couldn’t quite catch her breath. “Oh,” she murmured as the room spun, black spots appearing before her eyes. The lights were blindingly bright. She became slowly aware that her left arm was nearly numb. Her hand, however, was suddenly gripped with a searing pain, tearing through her nerves and causing her to cry out. Closing her eyes against the glare, which didn’t help the vertigo, Rose now felt as though she was falling headlong into a dark tunnel.  _ Not a Disney Princess… m’ Alice, fallin’ through the lookin’ glass…Doctor?  _ Another wave of pain rocketed through her.  __ As conscious thought faded, the Doctor’s frightened cry of her name was the last thing she heard as she fainted into his arms.

***

“Rose, can you hear me? Love, speak to me,” he begged as he lowered her gently to the floor. He didn’t realize he’d used the endearment. He felt her forehead, and finding it clammy with sweat he pulled out the sonic. Her breathing was shallow, her pulse racing.

A crowd was beginning to gather around the Doctor and Rose as he scanned her. “Rose, we’ll figure this out. It’s okay. Stay with me. Please,” he murmured a litany of reassurances. The sonic beeped to indicate the scan was complete. The footman who’d come to the TARDIS knelt by the Doctor. Speaking mostly to himself, the Time Lord murmured, “She’s showing an elevated level of spectrotiancin toxin…it couldn’t have been something she ate…”

The footman finished his thought, to the Doctor’s surprise. “Yes, that’s normally a toxin that enters the body through skin contact.”

The Doctor looked at the footman sharply, his brow furrowing. The footman leaned close to his ear so that his next words were for the Doctor alone.

“And if you want the antidote, you’ll help me, and those guards over there release the rebellion from the prison.” 

The Doctor gaped at him, then at the advancing squad of six guards. He turned back to the footman, who recoiled a bit at the Oncoming Storm.

“You’ll give me the antidote now,” he spoke loudly, so all could hear. “He’s trying to start a coup, and he poisoned her to do it!” He looked down at Rose, who was already deathly pale. Her left arm rested across her body, and his eye was drawn immediately to the ring on her finger. 

The guards loyal to the prince had already subdued the small squad advancing on them and the footman was backing away, sneering triumphantly. “Figured it out, did you?”

The Doctor grabbed Rose’s left hand, noticing how cold it was compared to his. He yanked the ring off and dropped it. To his horror, he observed that her skin had blackened, as if burned, where the ring had touched it. Although Time Lords were immune to spectrotiancin, he still felt a little shock of numbness from coming in contact with the ring. “Don’t touch it!” he warned the onlookers. 

“She’s got fifteen minutes, Doctor,” the footman laughed. He adjusted the cuffs of his coat, smirking at the Doctor.

“You’ve lost, so give me the antidote,  _ now,”  _ demanded the Doctor. The guards loyal to the Prince grabbed the footman by his arms. “Search him!”

“Time is ticking away, Time Lord. Even if I’ve lost the coup, it’d be worth it to see you lose your love. Remember me, Time Lord. Remember Osiris is the one who took her from you.” He laughed again as he collapsed to the floor. “I’ll wager you know how much time she has left, to the nanosecond. But I have less.” He gasped and coughed, his eyes rolling back in his head. A guard, attempting to search Osiris’ velvet coat, pulled the sleeve up to reveal a watch with a large face. The glass on the face swung open slightly on a hinge. The sleeve of his dress shirt was stained black. The skin underneath was destroyed.

“Don’t touch the ring and take off that glove!” the Doctor bellowed. “He poisoned himself, and the residue will kill you as well.” Staring at the powder on his gloved hand in terror, the loyal guard dropped Osiris immediately as the others backed away. 

The Doctor scooped Rose up. She lay limply in his arms, he could feel the gasping breaths she was taking. “I’m taking her back to the TARDIS. Get the Prince to a safe location and secure the castle!” He spun around to make a run for the exit. 

“Why would he do this? He was doomed to fail!” the Prince called out to the Doctor.

“I’ll find that out later. Rose will die if I can’t make the antidote.” Her breathing sped up. The Doctor ran. He didn’t care about the coup. All that mattered now was the thirteen minutes he had left to save her life. He sprinted toward the grand staircase they’d swept down so grandly just a few hours before. Bitterly, he recalled her joke from earlier. “ _ Might have to have you carry me back to the TARDIS, though.”  _ The Doctor had thought it was horrifying to see her without a face, but this was worse. The lips that had smiled so brilliantly in the TARDIS were now tinged blue, and her skin was ghostly pale.

They were met with a squad of soldiers sympathetic to Osiris. The Doctor kept to the shadows as Rose began to shiver violently, her breaths shallow. He activated the sonic one handed, causing a large stone wall to collapse on them, which kept them busy while he ran toward the TARDIS as Rose once more went limp in his arms. “Love, please… please don’t do this… Rassillon help me, I will save you,” he murmured as the TARDIS door swung open before he touched it. His time ship knew Rose was in mortal danger, and relocated the infirmary immediately outside the console room. It still felt like a marathon.

The Doctor could feel every precious second of her life ticking away.


	2. Rose’s Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor races against time to save Rose’s life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The situation is grim as the chapter begins, but fear not- there will be a happy ending.

The Doctor had five minutes. Just five minutes to figure out his own antidote. Distracting the soldiers had taken up too much precious time. Oh, how he had wanted to show them the full wrath of the Oncoming Storm.  _ If she dies they will wish they’d never met me… _

He had to focus.

The TARDIS had equipped the room with a bed and scanner, along with other equipment he prayed he wouldn’t need. His eyes fell on the fifty-first century defibrillator in particular, a shiver going up his spine.

The Doctor began to work right away, giving Rose oxygen and setting up an IV line. As he hooked her up to a heart monitor, he called to the TARDIS, “It’s spectrotiancin toxin, what do we have for that?”

Two small vials appeared next to him, and with shaking hands he filled the syringe with the first one, mentally willing the fluid to enter her bloodstream. When that syringe was empty he grabbed the second vial. Her breathing sped up.

He was still injecting the second vial when the alarm screamed on the monitor, as her heart rate increased alarmingly. “Come on, Rose, come on, stay with me, I love you, stay. Come on……” he was babbling, barely aware of what he was saying. Her heart was merely quivering in her chest now. He reached for the defibrillator,  _ Rassillon _ ,  _ Rose, please don’t do this... _

The Doctor grabbed the paddles, already charged and ready to use, when Rose’s body suddenly convulsed once, her back arching off the gurney. Rose cried out, her gaze locked on his. A thrill of fear raced through him as her eyes glowed golden. 

She fell silent as her body slumped back onto the bed. His eyes were drawn to her arms, where a subtle golden glow was beginning to course up and down from her shoulders to her fingers. The monitor flatlined, but the Doctor barely noticed the unceasing buzz and the cacophony of the alarms. The incandescent glow intensified, her body glowing from head to toe.  _ Regeneration energy.  _ The TARDIS began to hum soothingly.

***

_ Rose was burning. No flames touched her body, yet from the inside, every cell seemed to be on fire. Despite the sensation, she was no longer afraid. She had been terrified when her breath caught and her heartbeat had stuttered, but the TARDIS filled her body and mind, granting her instant peace and calm. That part of Bad Wolf which lay dormant in her cells howled to the heart of the TARDIS. The TARDIS had always been there to assist her Thief (even if the Doctor hadn’t physically been inside when he regenerated), so She didn’t hesitate to help her Wolf. The TARDIS ‘s hum became a word for the Wolf’s ears alone, whispered to her when she had taken (would take, tenses were hard) the form of the Moment (so long ago in the future.)  _

Forever _.  _

_ It would be so. The timelines had shifted and the things that might have been ( _ a storm dissipated, a white wall destroyed _ ) would not come to be.  _

_ Then the power rushed fully through the Wolf, and she howled, the sound making her heart (hearts) reverberate as they picked up their rhythm again. _

_ *** _

Mere seconds had passed since he’d noticed the energy coursing along her arms. The Doctor trembled as he realized what was happening to his love. “Oh, Rose….”he murmured in awe and fear, as he dropped the defibrillator paddles. “Rose Tyler, I love you, you brilliant woman, please, please….” chanted as the gold brightened and enveloped her entire body. The light was too bright to look at and the air was full of a heavy electric force. Her golden eyes opened and locked on his again as the power reached a crescendo. 

_ How long are you gonna stay with me,  _ he thought as the golden fire rushed through her.

And just as clearly as if she’d spoken aloud, he heard her voice in his head.  _ Forever, my Doctor.  _ A burst of energy blew him backwards. It wasn’t as forceful as any regeneration he’d ever gone through, but as he picked himself up, he thought,  _ it still packs a hell of a punch. _

The golden light, dimmer now, whirled around Rose Tyler then dissipated into thin air. The oxygen mask had been knocked askew, so he removed it after noting that her oxygen levels were perfect. The only difference was the monitor picking up a new heart rhythm. It had an echo, and now the screen was showing two jagged, rhythmic lines. They beat erratically for a moment, then fell into a rhythm. It was as if he’d placed the monitor wires on his own chest. That was how a double heartbeat registered on a human monitor, after all.

She lay quietly, her breathing slow and even, exhaling golden particles every few breaths. 

He slumped into a chair by her bedside, the adrenaline rush gone. His mind seemed to be processing slowly, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

He gazed at her face, which was unchanged. Her hair was ginger now, he noted with a strangled chuckle. Rose lay quiet and serene, like a red tressed Sleeping Beauty.  _ Briar Rose _ .  _ She had mentioned she felt like a Disney Princess in that gown,  _ he mused, and the thought caused him to laugh. Quite unexpectedly his laughter transitioned into a sob. “Rose, what have you done,” he whispered. “Oh, my love.”

The Doctor felt a presence caressing his mind, a new telepathic signature requesting entrance. Sinking down onto the next to her, his hands shaking, he placed his fingers on her temples and opened his mind. Her mind enveloped his instantaneously and he felt nothing but serenity and joy.

_ He found himself standing in the midst of a grove of silver trees. The wind rippled the leaves, and they reflected the firey orange sky.  _

_ “S’so beautiful.” The Doctor heard Rose murmur, her voice carrying on the breeze. He walked towards that beautiful sound and found his love sitting on a wooden bench. Rose wore jeans and her Union Jack t-shirt, and the Doctor thought,  _ she outshines all of Gallifrey.

_ The Doctor uttered, “Rose Tyler.” He didn’t think he could speak any more than that. His brilliant Time Lord brain was overwhelmed by the sight of her there. _

_ “Sit with me?” she asked. He nodded and sank down onto the bench with her. She took his hand as soon as he was next to her. There was a crackle of energy between them at the point where their hands touched. They both gasped, but then the prickly sensation abated and it felt as though they were fused together, two minds finally made whole by the contact. Rose sighed and rested her head against his shoulder. “My Doctor.” _

_ His voice shaking, he answered, “Yours. Always. I love you.” _

_ Rose raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were wide and she beamed. He could feel her emotions and she was radiating joy and relief and surprise in equal measures. His heart sank at the sensation of surprise. Rose’s smile faded. “I can feel your sadness. Did you think I wouldn’t feel the same way? I love you, too.” _

_ “No.. no, no…” The Doctor cupped her cheek gently. “I wish I told you a long time ago. For example, when you said  _ there’s me _. Because that’s when I first knew. I’ve been a coward. I hid behind the rules of the Time Lords and curses and all that bloody nonsense. I’ve wanted to tell you for so long. I’ve wanted  _ you _ for so long. I was going to tell you after the ball because I nearly lost you at the coronation. I resolved then that I wouldn’t let any more time pass without telling you how I felt. And time nearly made a fool of me.” _

_ She placed her fingers gently on his lips, silencing him. “I’ve known you loved me for a while now. I’m only surprised that you said it.” _

_ “Oh, Rose. I should have told you. It needs saying,” he sighed, leaning in.  _

_ “I knew.” He opened his mouth to speak again, to make another apology, but Rose silenced him with a gentle kiss. Their lips met tentatively at first, but the kiss intensified as their mutual passion flared between them. It was bliss. _

_ That is, until the reason they were snogging on a bench in the middle of a garden on Gallifrey, (and in her mind) occurred to him and he pulled away suddenly. “Rose, what...how did you… was it the genetic transference when I kissed you then? My DNA, dormant but within the… wait, ...I thought I’d gotten all of Bad Wolf out of you!” _

_ “Well,” Rose drawled, imitating him, “Aren’t you glad you missed a spot?” _

_ The Doctor’s brows raised in shock. The words tumbled out, “You’re  _ joking _ about this? Do you know what the implications are? You  _ died _ and there was regeneration energy… and your heart...hearts now...Rassillon, Rose, your DNA has completely changed. You’re like  _ me  _ now. And that wasn’t supposed to happen.” _

_ Rose covered his hand with hers. “Remember, I created myself when I looked into the heart of the TARDIS. I saw all that was, and all that could be, and I made my choice then. This was always supposed to happen.  _ I am never going to leave you. _ ” _

_ The Doctor stared at her, his mouth ajar, recalling how beautiful and terrifying she’d looked, speaking those words on the game station.  _ Meant to be, it was always meant to be… __

_ “It was,” Rose agreed. “You’re still distressed. I can feel it. Is it not what you wanted?” _

_ Once again the Doctor’s gob failed him, and all he could do was stare at her in awe.  _ Doesn’t she understand what she’s done? What this means for her… and for Jackie?

_ Rose’s eyebrow raised, and he could feel the moment she understood. “You’re feeling guilty about all the losses I’m gonna have to endure. It’s gonna be a very long life, after all. I’ll live on while family and friends wither and die, but I’ll be okay, because we have each other’s hand to hold. S’ better with two.” _

_ His hearts stuttered in his chest. With those words from her echoing in his mind, a sense of peace came over him, and with it, acceptance. Tears stinging his eyes, he murmured, “Indeed it is.” She grinned and nodded, even as her own eyes filled. He let go of her hand to draw her into an embrace. Enveloped in each other’s love, they sat silently for a while. Rose buried her face in his neck, and he shivered as she placed a gentle kiss there. “I love you, Rose Tyler.” _

_ “I love you, my Doctor.”  _

_ He wrapped a lock of her hair around his finger. “You’re ginger,” he murmured. _

_ “Is my face…” _

_ “Still the same beautiful you. But I’d love you even if your face changed.” _

_ Rose sat up and beamed at him. “Doctor…” she began teasingly. _

_ The Doctor laughed, pointing a warning finger at her. “Don’t even start.” _

_ “I’m ginger!” Rose singsonged, joining in his laughter.  _

_ “I can’t even be angry about it,” he added, which only made her laugh harder. They held each other, shaking with mirth, until they calmed and sat together silently, basking in the warmth and love surrounding them. _

_ At some point it occurred to him that her physical body was in the middle of a long regenerative coma, and would need her rest to recuperate.  _

_ “M’fine, Doctor,” she sighed. “I love havin’ you here with me.” _

_ “I’ll need to go settle up with the Prince and make sure all is safe, Rose. And you’ll need the rest, without me in your mind. You’re an anomaly. Never been anything quite like you before.” _

_ “Anomaly? How romantic. Should I feel insulted? ‘Cos I’m feelin’ ever so slightly insulted.” Her eyes were twinkling, and he could feel her amusement. _

_ He rolled his eyes, smirking. “You know it’s not a bad thing, on the contrary, it’s the most amazing thing ever and I love it. But I don’t know if your regenerative coma needs to last longer than a typical Time Lord’s. Or if I need to take you to the Zero Room help your recovery along. Ooh, that could be fun for us both, at some point in the near future...” _

_ Rose purred, “Really, now?” The smile she gave him was positively sinful, and the implications of that was something he definitely could  _ not  _ be thinking of in the middle of a regeneration coma.  _

_ “Eventually, yes,” he murmured.  _

_ “Lookin’ forward to it.” She surprised him by kissing him deeply. The Doctor enjoyed the brilliant snog until he needed to breathe, breaking apart when his respiratory bypass utterly failed him. He noticed, with just a trace of jealousy, that Rose didn’t seem to be winded at all.  _ Of course, she’d be brilliant at the whole Time Lord thing. And also ginger.

_ “And on that note… I’m lettin’ you rest. I won’t be far.” _

_ “I can feel you,” she said. “You’ll never be alone again.” _

_ The Doctor found it hard to speak around the lump in his throat.  _

_ “You’re wonderin ‘ what you did to deserve this, aren’tcha?” His eyes widened in surprise. She had just expressed exactly what he was thinking. He’d have to get used to having that empty part of his mind being filled with the light and joy that was Rose. He didn’t think it would take long.  _

_ Rose went on, “You showed me a new way of livin’. A better way. And even more than that… you love me. You deserve to be happy, Doctor, and if I have to keep showin’ you that throughout our very long life together, I will.” _

_ There was nothing he could say to that, so he kissed her again.  _

_ *** _

The Doctor eased himself out of her mind not long after that. He really did want to give her body time to recover, not wanting her to experience the ordeal he’d gone through on Christmas. 

He noticed, with some amusement, that the TARDIS had made the hospital bed wider and more comfortable so he could stay with her as she recovered. He sent a wave of thanks to his time ship. Once he finished up with this place, he wanted nothing more than to be by her side. 

_ Thank you, Old Girl. For everything.  _ The hum changed to a bubbling laugh.  _ Keep an eye on her while I’m gone?  _ The bubbling changed to a slightly offended shrieking squeak. “Of course you will. Shouldn’t’ve asked. My apologies.” He raised his hands in surrender. The time machine gave him the mental equivalent of a huffy “humpf.”

The Doctor took another look at his love, his sleeping beauty, and couldn’t resist reaching his mind out to her a last time before he left to deal with the aftermath. He took her left hand, brushing his thumb over her ring finger. The skin there was flawless. He gently kissed where the cursed ring had rested against her skin. “I’m putting my ring on that finger,” he murmured.

He felt a sensation, like fingers brushing lightly at the nape of his neck. “We haven’t even formerly bonded yet,” he marveled. “but I can feel you. You are… fantastic. I love you. Back soon.” He kissed her forehead gently, then walked reluctantly out of the room.

***

As it turned out, dealing with the prince and the remnants of the botched revolution was easier than expected, once the Shadow Proclamation became involved. A dark part of him wished Osiris hadn’t poisoned himself so successfully. He’d have preferred the opportunity to deal with the traitor himself. 

With those dark thoughts in his head the Doctor hurried back to the TARDIS, piloting her into a safe spot in the vortex. He burst through the medbay door. Rose slept on, but her mind reached out immediately to his, in a joyful greeting, and his thoughts of revenge dissolved.

While he’d been dealing with the fallout of the failed coup, he had had the TARDIS run a comprehensive scan on Rose. Health wise, she was perfect. Her body had fully healed itself from the ravages of the fast acting toxin. Her DNA had completely rewritten itself to resemble his. Seeing the evidence of it was overwhelming for him, and all he could do was thank the TARDIS for her part in making it happen. 

After pouring over the results for a good hour, he was exhausted. Finally satisfied that she was on the road to recovery, he removed his trainers and deposited his coat and suit jacket on the chair, then lay down beside his Rose. He rolled to his side and draped an arm over her. She moved closer to him, and joy bubbled up inside him. The Doctor took a deep breath, completely enveloped in Rose’s scent and warmth and love. Eventually he dozed off. 

***

_ As they both slept on, they dreamed. They walked together through a silver leafed forest. His mind reached out to hers, and her mind to his. In the middle of a silvery forest path, they turned to each other.  _

_ Rose spoke first. Without being told, she knew the bond vows, and the Doctor marveled at that. “I give you my forever, my Doctor. My hearts are bound to yours.” _

_ “I give you my forever, my Rose. My hearts are bound to yours.” Their fingers entwined, as he leaned in and she met him in the middle with a gentle kiss. Their timelines, his blue and her golden bound together in a quick crochet, permanently fused together.  _


	3. Rose's Ring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and the Doctor wake up the next morning to a completely new life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and commenting on this story. You're getting the final chapter a day early, a feat I don't think I've ever accomplished before.

Eleven hours later, the Doctor became aware of a warm weight on his chest. He yawned, groggy. He seldom ever dozed longer than a couple of hours. Sleep was a boring waste of time, usually, but at the moment he felt warm and comfortable. He didn’t want to move.

Something was tickling his nose. He made a half-hearted attempt at swiping at it, then his eyes flew open once he realized what he was touching. Rose was draped across him, still sleeping. His hearts shifted into overdrive. 

Rose stirred, stretching. She raised her head, giving him the same drowsy frown she shot in his direction every morning when he burst into her room too early for her liking. Usually she chucked a pillow at his head. The familiarity of it, the relief after the horror of the day before, sent the Doctor into a fit of joyful giggles. “Oi, piss off,” she mumbled groggily, glaring at him. Some things really never changed, including the way she greeted him in the morning.

He could see it, the moment when the penny dropped for Rose, and she awakened fully. Her eyes locked on his, and he made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a sob. Her hand drifted to her chest, over her hearts. He placed his hand on hers. “Good morning, Rose Tyler,” he murmured. “Nice to see you.” 

“Likewise,” Rose answered, slipping one hand free to cup his cheek gently, and wiping the tears wetting his cheeks with her thumb. 

“Oh, my Rose,” he whispered, holding her tightly. 

_ Forever your Rose _ . He felt her in his mind, a constant warm, glowing presence. Raising his head, he gazed into her eyes. Rose grinned, her own eyes crinkled with joy. “I don’t think I’m ever gonna get over havin’ you in my head like this. I love you so much. So much.”

Gobsmacked, he nodded. It was one thing to speak of all this in their minds, but to have Rose awake, and talking to him, confirming what he’d always hoped for, was nearly overwhelming. He finally croaked, “I love you, Rose. I promise to drive you barmy with how often I tell you.”

Rose burst out laughing, and the Doctor felt a giggle bubble up inside him. “Are we married now?” she asked. “I remember us walkin’ in that gorgeous silver forest, and speakin’ vows... and our threads… our timelines, right? They bound together.”

The Doctor beamed. “Oh, yes. The people on Gallifrey who married for love bonded in the way we did, by joining our minds in an unbreakable melding of our timelines. Sometimes there was a public ceremony, a handfasting, but mostly it was a very private thing. So, yes, we are married in the old Gallifreyan way. Do you… mind that we’re bound together in that way now?” He had to ask, to be sure. The smile she gave him in response made his eyes sting with tears again.

“I love it. My husband,” she murmured, in awe.

“My wife.” He gazed at her, then something occurred to him. “I want to give you a ring. Not a poisoned one, by the way…”

“That’s a relief,” she chuckled. “So, do Gallifreyans exchange rings like we do on Earth?”

“No, I just have a really pretty ring I had planned to give you, because I love you. I suppose now it would be an engagement token. But we’re already bonded, so…”

“I’d be proud to wear your ring. Can’t wait to see it.” She snuggled close as he kissed her hand. They were quiet, basking in their joy, when suddenly Rose gasped. A jolt of fear shot through the Doctor.

_ Of course… now it’ll all be taken away…  _ “Rose?” 

Rose clearly felt his fright and immediately reassured him, “No, no. S’okay, I’m fine. It just occurred to me...You’re going to have to help me tell Mum she now has a son-in-law.”

That revelation sent his eyebrows straight up to just south of his hairline, to Rose’s amused chuckle. 

“Do you think she’ll want to plan an Earth wedding? That is, if she doesn’t regenerate me first.”

Rose nodded. “Probably.” Her brow furrowed. “Thinkin’ about how I’ll tell Mum about me.... This is gonna be a lot for her to deal with. Don’t know if I’m ready to handle that quite yet.”

The Doctor looked away, his eyes downcast. Before he could speak, Rose cupped his cheek gently and drew him back to her. “I don’t regret a single choice I’ve made. S’ just going to be hard to get Mum to understand, and I’m gonna need to get used to the changes in my body before I tell her. But she’ll come to accept it. Please, no more guilt. We’ve been given this gift. Let’s enjoy it.”

The Doctor leaned into her touch. “It’ll take awhile for me to get over the guilt. It’s been ingrained in me for centuries, you know.”

“We’ll get there together,” she told him.

“Better with two, as I’ve been told.” 

“You have.” Rose grinned. 

The Doctor kissed her forehead, then murmured, “We’re time travelers, remember. You can take as much time as you need to get used to everything. And Rose… I’ll be with you every step of the way, when you do tell your mum.”

He gently wiped away her tears. She told him, “You're not really not afraid of the domestics anymore, are ya?”

He pressed his forehead against hers. “Before I met you, I barely acknowledged the families of my companions. You changed me for the better right from the first time I told you  _ run _ , my beautiful wife.” The smile she gave him nearly stopped his hearts. She went for a kiss, but he stopped her, chuckling at her grumbling. “First of all, I need you to wait, because I have something to get you, and if you’re amenable, I’d like to relocate somewhere a bit more suitable for the romantic atmosphere I wanted to give you before all this happened.”

Rose flopped onto her back dramatically. “I suppose you have a point. That IV bag hangin’ there is not exactly inspirin’ romance.”

“I should ask if you’re up to...romance...and the activities related to that… Anyway… ahem… are you?”

Her eyebrow arched. “Yeah, I think I could do with a shag, followed by a nap,” she informed him, smiling sinfully.

The Doctor supposed that his eyebrows should just get used to rising in shock at the things Rose said now. “Well… Allons-y, then.” He rolled out of bed, feet nearly tangling in the sheets in an unfortunate attempt at being suave. She chuckled. He cleared his throat and extended his hand to her. “Dame Rose, shall we?

“Sir Doctor, we shall,” she confirmed with a smile. 

Hand in hand they stepped into the corridor. Apparently the medbay was no longer located just outside the console room. The area was dimly lit, until the ceiling over a distant door suddenly became illuminated. 

“What’s this?” the Doctor asked.

The light blinked off and on rapidly. Rose beamed. “She made a gift for us, Doctor. See?”

The TARDIS’ hum transformed to a happy bubble. The Doctor gazed at Rose in awe. He had a connection with his ship, but Rose’s bond seemed even more intense. Rose had looked into Her heart, after all. 

She took the lead and pulled him down the corridor to the illuminated door. It swung open, seemingly on its own.

They stepped into a large room, dominated by a large fireplace and a king sized bed. The bed linens were a deep iridescent blue, embroidered with gilded thread that shone in the firelight. The ivory carpet was soft under their feet. Glowing fairy lights illuminated the dark wooden headboard. “Well, this is…”

“Fantastic,” Rose finished for him. “S’ours. I love it. She smiled up at the coral ceiling and the TARDIS hummed a little melody the Doctor had never heard before. He stared at Rose in awe. 

Across the large room, a pocket door slid open, revealing a white marble expanse that turned out to be a large en-suite. “She gave you a spa,” the Doctor mused.

“I think it’s for us both, Doctor.” She padded across the room to peek in. “That tub is definitely for two.”

He joined her, peeking in. As much as he wanted to share it, he said, “We’ll have plenty of time to enjoy that gigantic tub together, don’t worry.” Taking her hands, he gazed into her eyes. “I want to give you a little privacy, so you can… start to get used to all this.”

“Is that a nice way of sayin’ I need a shower?” she quipped.

“No! I just thought…” 

She stopped his words with a kiss. In his mind, he felt her love and heard her tell him,  _ Just takin’ the mick, Doctor _ .  _ I do need a shower, there’s no denyin’ that. And a bit of time to wrap my head around all this.  _ Deepening the kiss, he felt a bolt of arousal coursing up his spine, and if he really wanted to give her some time…

He reluctantly broke the kiss, and said, “I’ll be here waiting when you’re finished.” Rose beamed at him and stepped into the en-suite, closing the door behind her. 

The Doctor sighed. It took all his willpower not to follow her, the thought of her out of his sight suddenly causing anxiety.

_ I’ll be right back, Doctor. _

_ I know _ . Still, didn’t make it any easier to see her go, not after the day they’d had. Feeling her presence in his mind was a balm to his anxious soul, though. He gazed around the new room. Wandering across the room, he discovered another pocket door that lead to the wardrobe, where a pair of pajamas were laid out for him. He snatched those up, but it wasn’t what he was trying to find. 

A light shone over a large antique chest of drawers. “Yeah, that looks like a place I’d stick a ring,” he muttered, rolling his eyes. He vaguely remembered putting it there, he just couldn’t recall which one of him did it.

It took ten minutes of searching through cat pins, electronic bits and bobs and an impressive collection of cufflinks he no longer wore, but in the back of a bigger on the inside drawer, he found a small silver ring box. He hoped he’d finally hit the jackpot. 

The Doctor opened the hinged lid and sighed in relief. A silver ring was nestled in the box, the Gallifreyan sapphire glistening against the white satin. The sapphire was round, surrounded by two circles of small diamonds. He held the ring up to the light, which made the blue stone translucent. Inside the stone was what set them apart from Earth sapphires: naturally occurring threads of gold arranged in a pattern reminiscent of Gallifreyan writing. He smiled at the ring, imagining it on Rose’s finger. He held it up to the light, taking a closer look at the gold filament inside the ring. He had to swallow around a lump in his throat. It was perfect.  _ Absolutely perfect. _

***

Rose stepped out of the shower, wrapping herself in a thick, fluffy blue towel. She caught a glimpse of herself in the large mirror. Facing her reflection, she took stock of her new situation.

At first, the only difference she noticed in her appearance was her ginger hair. It was a deep red, falling past her shoulders. She’d cut her hair shortly before traveling with this Doctor, but she liked how the red looked flowing over her shoulders, even wet, so she decided she might like to have it longer again. Regeneration helped her skip the awkwardness of growing it out, she thought with a chuckle.

Rose’s face was indeed the same, except for her eyes. Her honey brown irises were shot through with gold now. The hair wouldn’t faze Jackie, except that she’d be jealous that she didn’t get to do the color herself. If her mother noticed anything alien about her daughter, it would be her eyes. She sighed, anxiety setting in. She immediately felt a soothing presence in her mind, a telepathic reminder of the Doctor’s vow to be with her through it all.

Placing her hands on her chest, she felt the quadruple beat of her new heart rhythm. This would definitely be something to get used to. 

But then again, the Doctor’s heartsbeat had always been a comfort to her, so maybe it wouldn’t take that long to become accustomed to it.

There were so many questions.  _ Would I regenerate again if somethin’ happened to me? If I did, would I change?  _

Rose took a deep breath, feeling a calming presence in her mind.

_ If you changed I would still love you. I don’t intend to test out any regeneration theories anytime soon, though.  _

She smiled at her reflection. Grabbing her comb (she’d been amused to notice that the TARDIS had relocated all her makeup and hair products to the new en-suite) she carefully detangled her wet hair. 

_ First thing Mum is gonna ask is where I got this dye job. Because it’s some good red.  _

She giggled as the Doctor answered aloud from just outside the door. “It is. I loved the blonde, but I have to say it’s fun snoggin’ a ginger.”

“Will I ever know what that’s like?” Rose quipped, laughing harder as the Doctor peeked his head in.

“Oi! Have a laugh,” he grumbled but couldn’t keep a straight face. “Allons-y! I’ve got something to show you.”

“Come here and show me,” she challenged, poking her tongue out in mirth, not missing the way his eyes raked over her towel-clad form.

His eyebrows went northward. “Oh, Rose Tyler, you… just… wow.. while that is quite the invitation… quite the enticing invitation…”

Even though she was enjoying his pink cheeks and the way he stumbled over his words, she gave him a break. “I’ll be there in a mo, I promise.” 

“I might regenerate from the waiting, I’m just warning you,” he said gravely as he shut the door. 

_ If regeneration from waiting for you was a thing, I would’ve done it long ago, _ she thought with a smirk.

_ I heard that. _

She chuckled and noticed the clothes the TARDIS had left for her. There was no ostentatious blue gown this time, only a perfectly lovely knee-length pink silk nightie

with spaghetti straps and delicate ivory lace accentuating the deep v-neck. It was gorgeous. She slipped it on and smoothed it over her hips as she looked in the mirror. The satin hugged her curves like a second skin, and she loved it.

The thought that she was about to make love to the Doctor, to be with the man she’d given her heart to (so long ago when there was still only one beating in her chest) sent a thrill of excitement through her. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she opened the door. The plush carpet was soft under her bare feet. 

The Doctor had lit candles and placed them everywhere, and the room glowed with flickering light. Wearing pajama bottoms without a shirt, he was running his fingers nervously through his hair when she emerged, and when he turned to look at her, she felt his love and desire mingling with her own. 

“You are stunning,” he murmured. He extended his hand to her and she took it, gladly. They gasped at the jolt of energy passing between them, then the warmth of the bond washed over their minds. He realized that the feeling of completion when their fingers were entwined had always been there, from the very first time she’d taken her hand when he said “run.” The bond had made it more noticeable.

“Thanks,” she murmured. “You look pretty amazin’ yourself.” 

“I debated whether or not to leave the shirt on, because I didn’t know if that was too forward, or just the right amount of forward, but we’re all about moving forward, that’s what we’re…”

She pulled him towards her, ending his ramble. “It’s perfect. Kiss me, please.” 

Needing no further invitation, the Doctor captured Rose’s lips, pulling her fully against his body, feeling the slide of her fingers into his hair, the softness of the satin under his fingertips. 

Her nails scratched lightly against his scalp causing him to moan into her mouth. He could feel her arousal in his mind, building and spiking when she realized she was feeling his desire for her. 

_ The ring,  _ he thought,  _ I need to give her…  _

Then he felt her deliberate mental caress of the pleasure centers in his brain, and he nearly came undone. He broke the kiss long enough to pant, “Minx.”

“Just figured out how to do that,” Rose gasped as he reciprocated the touch.

Deciding the ring could wait, he pulled her onto the bed with him, murmuring, “Brilliant, you are.”

For a couple of hours thereafter, very few words were spoken aloud as they joined, body, mind and soul. They spent that time learning each other, discovering what made the other cry out in pleasure. All the while their connection strengthened, woven together tightly in an unbreakable bond.

***

They lay together afterward, the candles flickering and casting long shadows in the dark. The Doctor couldn’t stop caressing Rose’s skin, she couldn’t keep her hands from his hair. “Oh, Rose,” he murmured, “You feel so wonderful...I don’t have the words for…”

She kissed him gently. “It’s fantastic. Like steppin’ into a sunbeam, except I feel the warmth all through me.”

“You say it better than I could.” Suddenly he remembered what he’d intended to do. “Before we were so sweetly interrupted, I was going to give you something. And… it’s in the pocket of my pajama trousers… way over there. Be right back.” He gave her a quick kiss and slid out of bed. “I know you’re lookin’ at my bum, by the way.”

“Lookin’ and likin’,” she confirmed, laughing when he gave her a little wiggle as he bent over to dig through the pocket of his trousers. 

The Doctor announced, “Oh, yes! Here we go.” With that he returned to Rose, small white box in hand. “I had intended to give this to you, before all this ever happened. I wanted you to know that. It’s brilliant we can have our forever, but I would’ve wanted you for however long our forever was.”

“Doctor, I know that,” she reassured him. 

Smiling, he opened the box, watching her expression as she gazed at the ring for the first time.

Rose beamed. “Oh, I love it. S’so beautiful.” She took the box, removing the ring. Holding it up the fairy lights to see it better, she gasped. “That’s not from Earth, is it?”

“It’s Gallifreyan. One of the few things from home that still exists,” he told her.

***

Rose’s eyes stung with tears. The thought that he would entrust her with something from his planet took her breath away. 

“I want to put it on you,” he told her, his voice thick with emotion. She gave him the ring, and with a shaking hand, he slipped it onto her finger, then he kissed her knuckles. 

Rose swallowed around the lump in her throat. “Doctor, when I was… regeneratin’, I wasn’t afraid.” His brow furrowed, and she could feel his confusion, but she pressed on. “I could feel our TARDIS, of course. And I could feel the heat… felt like walkin’ through fire. But I could also feel you there, and I could feel your love, fillin’ me up and leadin’ me out of the flames. There wasn’t any room in me for fear, not with you and the TARDIS with me. I knew I’d be okay, ‘cos once I got through it, I’d be home. You’re my home.” By the end of her speech Rose’s voice had grown husky. 

Tears flowed from the Doctor’s eyes as well, and he enveloped her in his arms, “I love you, Rose Tyler.”

“I love you, Doctor.” Rose held her hand out, admiring the look of the ring. “S’gorgeous. I’m so honored to wear it.” Holding it closer to the fairy lights, she asked, “Is there really gold in there, or is that a trick of the light?”

“No, it’s really there. Every Gallifreyan sapphire has a unique marking of thin gold inside it. No two are alike.”

“Looks like that writin’ on the sticky notes you have all over the console.” 

The Doctor beamed. “You noticed that right off. Well done, you. That’s what it resembles. Most of the time you get a random pattern, but sometimes you get something resembling actual Gallifreyan writing.”

“I want you to teach me how to read it. All of it. I wanna know what those sticky notes say!” 

“Weeeeelll…” he drew it out even longer than usual.

“I can learn it, so you better not be actin’ like I can’t,” she warned, poking his shoulder.

He frowned. “I didn’t think that at all, Rose Tyler. I believe in you. I was just thinkin’... when you learn to read it, you’ll figure out just how often I doodle your name when I’m tryin’ to figure somethin’ out. You’re always on my mind, in my hearts…”

Rose kissed him enthusiastically as a reward for that revelation, rolling on top of him.

“Mmmm… Don’t you wanna know what your ring says?” he asked breathlessly. “Before we get distracted again?” He arched his eyebrow. “For the fourth time?”

“Was I one of the lucky ones who got a word, Doctor?” She leaned down, pressing her body against his, to kiss his neck.

The Doctor gave a happy little groan and nodded. “It says  _ home. _ ” 

Rose paused in her enthusiastic exploration of his collarbone to gaze at him, her eyes shining. “I think you managed to find me the perfect ring.” 

He cupped her cheek so tenderly it made her hearts ache with wanting him. “You are my home, Rose Tyler.” Raising up, he captured her lips in a searing kiss. 

There would come a time when they’d have to explore just what regeneration meant for Rose, and they would have to break the news to Jackie eventually. But for now, they were lost in each other’s bodies and minds, and the joy of the bond between them. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is left rather open ended. I think there's more story to tell, especially with Jackie, but it might be a while before that happens. After all, I've been sitting on this prompt for a long time. We will see what happens. Thanks again for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> The next chapter will be posted next Saturday!


End file.
